Size box with variable size level



23, 1969 1. L; GRIFFIN, SR

SIZE BOX WITH VARIABLE SIZE LEVEL K 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 13, 1968 INVENTOR: IRA L.GT2JFFIN, 532.

ATTORNEY$ 3, 1969 1... GRIFFIN, sR-

SIZE BOX WITH VARIABLE SIZE LEVEL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 13, 1968 United States Patent 3,484,915 SIZE BOX WITH VARIABLE SIZE LEVEL Ira L. Griflin, Sr., Charlotte, N.C., assignor to Ira L. Griflin & Sons, Inc., Charlotte, N.C., a corporation of North Carolina Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 575,411, Aug. 26, 1966. This application May 13, 1968, Ser. No. 728,494

Int. Cl. D031 J/02 US. CI. 28-28 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An additional pair of pressure rolls is positioned between spaced apart first and second lower squeeze rolls and means is provided for selectively varying the relative positions of the second lower squeeze roll and the size level during different operating conditions. The size box may thereby be operated with the second squeeze roll positioned above the size level or at least partially submerged in the size solution to vary the amount of size picked up by the second lower squeeze roll.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Ser. No. 575,411, filed Aug. 26, 1966, now US. Patent 3,396,444, granted Aug. 13, 1968, and relates generally to the sizing of textile yarn and more particularly to improved means for applying the proper amount of sizing solution to the yarn as it passes through the size box and while the yarn is fed through the size box at a high rate of speed.

For many years, the standard size box has included an immersion roll positioned in advance of spaced apart pairs of upper and lower squeeze rolls with the lower squeeze rolls being at least partially immersed in the size solution. In this conventional type box the sheet of yarns is immersed in the size solution and then successively passes through the nips of the first and second pairs of squeeze rolls. This type size box has been satisfactory for sizing cotton yarn at relatively slow speeds; however, as the use of synthetic yarns and yarns formed of a mixture of synthetic and natural fibers have become more widespread, the continued use of this type size box is not practical.

Attempts have been made to develop improved size boxes which operate at higher speeds and which are adaptable for sizing various types of yarns. While some of these later developed size boxes have been intended for use in sizing several types of yarns and others operate at increased speeds, they have not been entirely satisfactory for sizing a wide range of different types of yarns at high speeds.

The quantity of size picked up by the lower squeeze rolls and applied to the yarns varies in accordance with the depth of the squeeze rolls in the size solution; i.e., greater penetration of the roll into the size results in a heavier application of size to the yarns and vice versa. Thus, with the lower squeeze rolls at the same elevation relative to the size, they will tend to apply the same amount of size to the yarns.

The size box disclosed in my copending application overcomes the disadvantages of prior size boxes in that it can be easily adapted to uniformly apply the required amount of size to a wide variety of different types of yarns as the sheet of yarns is rapidly passed through the size box. -In this size box, the second lower squeeze roll is sup-ported for rotation on the same horizontal plane as the first lower squeeze roll, with its lower portion running in the size solution. Thus, the immersion depth of both lower squeeze rolls remains equal with any change in the size level. As higher operating speeds are attained,

a greater amount of the size is raised by the lower squeeze rolls and this volume of size may reach the point that size slinging becomes such a problem; particularly at the second squeeze roll, that the operating speed must be limited.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved size box including means for varying the depth to which the second lower squeeze roll is immersed in the size, relative to the depth to which the first lower squeeze roll is immersed, and for at times operating the size box with the second lower squeeze roll completely above the level of the size solution.

In accordnace with a preferred embodiment of this invention, a pair of additional pressure .rolls is positioned between the first and second lower squeeze rolls to at times provide additional size-applying and yarn-squeezing actions on the yarn. The second lower squeeze roll is supported at a higher level than the first lower squeeze roll, and means is provided for selectively varying the level of the size solution. Thus, the second lower squeeze roll always picks up a lesser amount of size than the first lower squeeze roll and the size level may be lowered a suflicient amount that the second lower squeeze roll is above and completely out of the size solution.

Some of the objects of the invention having been passes therethrough;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the size box with the central portion broken away; and

FIGURE 4 is a view taken substantially along the line 4-4 in FIGURE 3, the left-hand portion being shown in elevation and the right-hand portion being shown in section.

Generally, the size box of the present invention includes spaced apart respective pairs of upper and lower squeeze r rolls 20, 21 and 22, 23 (FIGURE 2) with the upper squeeze rolls 20, 22 being supported for movement into and out of pressure engagement with the corresponding lower squeeze rolls 21, 23. The second lower squeeze roll 23 is supported at a higher level than the first lower squeeze roll 21, which is at least partially immersed in the size solution S. A first auxiliary squeeze roll 25 (hereinafter referred to as a combination immersion and squeeze roll) is supported in the space between the lower squeeze rolls 21, 23 and is movable into and out of pressure engagement with the first lower squeeze roll 21. This roll 25 is preferably at least partially submerged in the size solution S. A second auxiliary squeeze roll 26 (hereinafter referred to as a combination squeeze and stripper regulator roll) is also supported in the space between the lower squeeze rolls 21, 23 at a level above the size solution and for swinging movement into and out of pressure engagement with the second lower squeeze roll 23.

As the sheet of yarns Y passes through the size box, it passes through the nip of the first pair of squeeze rolls 20, 21, beneath the rolls 25, 26, and then through the nip of the rolls 22, 23. In this normal travel, four squeezes may be applied to the yarn and the size is alternately applied to opposite sides of the yarn, as will be presently described, so that a uniform application of the proper amount of size solution may be applied to any type of yarn. The positioning of the roll 23 at a higher level than the roll 21 provides several advantages. For example, the

amount of size picked up by the roll 23 may be varied by raising and lowering the size level to thereby vary the amount of size applied to the yarn in accordance with the operating speed of the size box, the type of yarn being sized, etc. Also, the size level may be lowered a sufficient amount that the roll 23 is above the size level (as shown in FIGURE 2).

The size box includes side frame members 30, 31 which are supported in spaced apart relationship by transverse support beams 32, 33 (FIGURE 2) suitably connected at opposite ends to the frame members 30, 31. The beams 32, 33 support opposite end portions of a suitable size tank 36 which is normally insulated and provided with suitable heating means such as steam coils, not shown, for maintaining the size solution S at the required temperature.

The lower squeeze rolls 21, 23 are preferably stainless steel and are provided with outwardly projecting shafts which are supported in suitable bearings 40, 41 (FIG- URE 3) that are in turn fixed on inwardly extending shelf members a, 31a which are fixed on the inner surfaces of respective side frames 30, 31 so that the rolls 21, 23 are rotatably supported in the size tank 36 and at least partially immersed in the size solution S. Suitable drive means is connected to the lower squeeze rolls 21, 23 to impart rotation thereto in the direction of the arrows shown in FIGURE 2 and at the required speed. The outer end portions of the shafts of the rolls 21, 23 extend through the side frame 31 and are drivingly connected by a sprocket chain 38 (FIGURE 3) and rotation is imparted thereto by a drive chain 39 which is suitably connected to a drive motor, not shown.

As the yarn Y enters the size box, it passes over a pair of guide rolls 42, 43 and beneath a tension or dancing rod 44. The guide rolls 42, 43 are suitably supported for rotation adjacent opposite ends and on brackets 42a, 42b which are fixed at their inner ends on the beam 32. The tension rod 44 is supported for vertical movement at opposite ends in guide members 45, 45a. which are fixed to the inner surfaces of the brackets 42a, 42b. The tension rod 44 is provided to take up any slack which should develop in the yarn and also holds the yarn in contact with the guide rollers 42, 43.

The upper squeeze roll 20 is preferably rubber covered and opposite ends are provided with shaft portions which are rotatably supported in the free ends of pressure arms 46, 47, the medial portions of which are pivotally supported on bearing standards 48, 49 that are in turn fixed on the shelf members 30a, 31a. The other ends of the respective arms 46, 47 are suitably connected to pressure control cylinders 51, 52 which are supported on brackets extending inwardly from the side frames 30, 31. Air or fluid pressure may be directed into the lower portions of the cylinders 51, 52 to increase to any desired degree the amount of pressure with which the upper roll 20 engages the lower roll 21. Fluid pressure may also be directed into the upper portions of the cylinders 51, 52 to decrease the pressure of the upper roll 20 on the lower roll 21 or to raise and maintain the upper roll 20 out of contact with the lower roll 21.

The upper squeeze roll 22 is also preferably rubber covered and provided with a pressure-applying means similar to that described for the upper squeeze roll 20. This pressure-applying means includes pressure arms 56, 57, bearing standards 58, 59, and pressure control cylinders 63, 64. The cylinders 63, 64 may be operated in the same manner described for the cylinders 51, 52 to apply any desired amount of pressure on the upper squeeze roll 22 against the lower squeeze roll 23 or to raise and maintain the squeeze roll 22 out of engagement with the squeeze roll 23, if desired.

The combination immersion and squeeze roll 25 is preferably rubber covered and is supported for rotation adjacent opposite ends in the lower ends of swing arms 65, 66 (FIGURE 3). The upper ends of the arms 65, 66 are fixed on the inner ends of respective control shafts 67, 68, the medial portions of which are supported for oscillation in bearing block members 70, 71. Lever arms 74, are fixed at one end on the outer ends of the control shafts 67, 68 and their other ends overlie the upper ends of piston rods of fluid pressure cylinders 78, 79 which are suitably supported beneath the shelf members 30a, 31a.

The bearing blocks 70, 71 are suitably secured to the upper ends of respective vertically disposed rods which are connected to and raised and lowered by jacks 82, 83. The jacks 82; 83 are fixed on the lower surfaces of the respective shelf members 30a, 31a (FIGURE 4). Drive shafts, such as that indicated at in FIGURE 4, are suitably supported between the respective side frames 30, 31 and the size tank 36 and are drivingly connected to a transverse drive shaft 92 (FIGURE 2) by right-angle drive units, not'shown. Hand wheels 93, 94 are fixed on opposite ends of the shaft 92 and may be rotated to impart rotation to the jacks 82, 83 and thereby simultaneously raise or lower the bearing members 70, 71 to move the roll 25 between the lowered or operative position shown in FIGURE 2 and a raised or in operative position above the roll 21. When the roll 25 is lowered to the position shown in FIGURE 2, fluid pressure may be applied to the cylinders 78, 79 to swing the roll 25 into pressure engagement with the roll 21 with any desired amount of pressure.

The combination squeeze and stripper regulator roll 26 is preferably rubber covered and is rotatably supported adjacent opposite ends in the lower ends of swing arms 95, 96, the upper ends of which are fixed on the medial portions of respective control shafts 97, 98 (FIGURE 3). The control shafts 97, 98 are supported for oscillation in the bearing blocks 70, 71 and have control levers, 99, 100 fixed to their outer ends. The free ends of the control levers 90, 100 overlie the upper ends of the piston rods of fluid pressure cylinders 103, 104 which are suitably supported beneath the shelf members 30a, 31a. As the jacks 82, 83 are raised and lowered, the roll 26 will also be moved between the lowered or operative position shown in FIGURE 2 and a raised or inoperative position above the roll 23. As the roll 26 is positioned against the roll 23, as

shown in FIGURE 2, fluid pressure may be applied to the cylinders 103, 104 to maintain the roll 26 in pressure engagement with the roll 23 under any desired degree of pressure.

Since the roll 23 is supported at a higher level than the roll 21, the outwardly extending shaft portions of the roll 26 are above the upper level of the size tank 36 so that the swing arms 95, 96 may be positioned outside of the tank. This permits the use of heavy duty bearings, such as shown at 105 in FIGURE 1. Much higher pressure forces can therefore be applied to the roll 26 as the yarn passes through the nip with the roll 23.

During normal high speed operation, the size level is preferably maintained at substantially the level shown in FIGURE 2; i.e., with the roll 23 rotating above the size level. With most types of yarns, a suflicient amount of size will be brought up by the yarn to the nip between the rolls 23, 26. However, when it is necessary to operate the size box at a reduced or creep speed (usually 3 to 5 yards per minute), a sufficient amount of size may not be raised by the yarns and the roll 23 must then be rotated while at least partially submerged in the size solution. This might be accomplished by lowering the rolls 23, 22 and 26; however, it is preferable to provide means for instantly raising and lowering the size level which includes an expandable and contractable size displacement member. The size displacement member is preferably in the form of an elongate flexible tube 106 (FIGURES 2 and 4) formed of a high temperature resistant material which may be easily expanded or inflated and contracted or deflated to correspondingly raise and lower the size level, relative to the rolls 21, 23.

As best shown in FIGURE 2, the flexible tube 106 extends below the lower squeeze roll 23 and is held in the lower portion of the tank 36 by hold-down strap members 82, only one of which is shown in FIGURE 2. The tube 81 is shown in partially deflated or contracted condition in FIGURES 2 and 4 and has one end of an air line 108 connected thereto (FIGUREft). Air may be introduced in the line 108 to inflate or expand the flexible tube 106 or the air may be permitted to escape to lower the level of the size in the tank 36.

It is preferred that the air line 108 extend to a suitable air pressure source 109 and have an air valve 110 interposed therein. The valve 110 may be operated manually but it is preferred that it operate automatically to inflate or expand the tube 106 and raise the level of the size so that the roll 23 is at least partially submerged therein when the size box is operated at a reduced speed. It is also preferred that the tube 106 be automatically deflated to the desired degree so that the size level is immediately lowered to the normal level when the size box resumes normal high speed operation. It is to be understood that the size may be maintained at any desired level by varying the inflated condition of the tube 106.

Following the path of travel of the yarn Y, as shown in FIGURE 2, the roll 21 brings up a supply of size as it rotates so that size is first supplied to the sheet of yarn just prior to the point at which it passes between the nip of the rolls 20, 21. The amount of squeezing pressure on the yarn at the nip of the rolls 20, 21 may be suitably adjusted by means of the cylinders 51, 52. The yarns remain in engagement with the surface of the roll 21 until they pass through the nip of the rolls 21, 25, where they are transferred to the roll 25. The amount of squeezing pressure on the yarn at the nip of the rolls 21, may be adjusted by means of the cylinders 78, 7-9. As the yarns pass beneath the roll 25, they move into and through the size solution S. As the roll 25 rotates in a counterclockwise direction, it picks up and carries over some size which is applied to the yarns while they are in engagement with the roll 21 and just prior to passing between the nips of rolls 21, 25.

The yarns Y extend from the roll 25 to the nip of the rolls 23, 26 and some size is brought up by the yarns. When the size level is raised, some size solution is brought up on the surface of the roll 23 and applied to the yarns just prior to their passing through the nip of the rolls 23, 26 where the yarns are again squeezed. After the yarns pass through the nip of the rolls 23, 26, they remain in engagement with the roll 23 until they pass through the nip of the rolls 22, 23. The amount of squeezing pressure on the yarn at the nip of the rolls 23, 26 may be suitably varied by means of the cylinders 103, 104. The amount of squeezing pressure applied to the yarns at the nip of the rolls 22, 23 may also be suitably varied by means of the cylinders 63, 64.

With the rolls in the position shown in FIGURE 2, the yarn Y is subjected to four squeezing actions and size solution is applied to the yarns at least four times, the size solution being alternately applied to both sides of the yarns. In accordance with the type of yarn being run and the amount of size solution to be applied to the yarn, the speed of the size box may be varied, the size level may be varied, and/or the pressure of the various rolls may be adjusted to obtain the desired results.

In some instances, as Where a very light application of size solution is desired, it may be desirable to maintain one or both of the upper squeeze rolls in a raised inoperative position or to run the size box with these rolls under very light pressure.

When running certain types of yarns, it may be desirable to raise or completely remove the second upper squeeze roll 22 and guide the yarns Y upwardly from the nip of the rolls 23, 26. In this case, the yarns will not remain in contact with the surface of the roll 23 after they leave the nip of the rolls 23,. 26 and they will pass directly to any suitable type of drying apparatus.

With the size level being maintained below the lower portion of the rolls 23, as shown in FIGURE 2, the size slinging problem is minimized, since no size is brought up by the roll 23. Thus, the arrangement of rolls in the size box of the present invention permits a wide diversity of operation to properly apply the correct amount of size to a wide variety of diiierent types of textile yarns and also permits high speed application of size to the yarn.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

I claim:

1. A size box including a tank adapted to contain a supply of sizing solution therein and including (a) a first squeeze roll at least partially submerged in the sizing solution,

(b) a second squeeze roll spaced from said first squeeze roll,

(0) means supporting said second squeeze roll for rotation with its lower portion at a higher level than the lower portion of said first squeeze roll,

((1) means for selectively varying the relative positions of said second squeeze roll and the size level whereby 'said second squeeze roll may be at least partially submerged in the sizing solution or above the level of the sizing solution, 7 a

(e) an immersion squeeze roll supported between said squeeze rolls and being at least partially submerged in the sizing solution,

(f) means for moving said immersion squeeze roll into pressure engagement with said first squeeze roll to form a nip therewith,

(g) a stripper regulator rolls supported between said squeeze rolls and above the level of the sizing solution,

(h) means for moving said stripper regulator roll into pressure engagement with said second squeeze roll to form a nip therewith, and

(i) guide means for directing a sheet of textile yarns over said first squeeze roll, through the nip of said first squeeze roll with said immersion squeeze roll, beneath said immersion squeeze roll, through the nip of said stripper regulator roll and said second squeeze roll, and over said second squeeze roll.

2. A size box according to claim 1 wherein said means (d) comprises (j) expandable and contractable size displacement means at least partially submerged in the size solution, and

(1:) means associated with said size displacement means for expanding the same to raise the level of the size solution into engagement with the lower portion of said second squeeze roll and for contracting said size displacement means to lower the level of the size solution beneath the lower portion of said second squeeze roll.

3. A size box according to claim 1 including (1) first and second upper squeeze rolls positioned in substantially vertical alignment above said first and second spaced apart squeeze rolls and forming corresponding nips therewith, and

(m) means for regulating the pressure engagement of said first and second upper squeeze rolls with said first and second spaced apart squeeze rolls.

4. A size box according to claim 1 including (11) means supporting said immersion squeeze roll and said stripper regulator roll for substantial vertical movement between an operative position with said rolls between said first and second spaced apart squeeze rolls and an inoperative position with said rolls substantially above the level of said first and second spaced apart squeeze rolls.

5. A size box according to claim 3 wherein said support means (11) includes 1) a common bearing means supported for vertical movement at each end of said immersion squeeze roll and said stripper regulator roll,

(2) swing arms disposed in a substantially vertical position at opposite ends of said immersion squeeze roll, the upper ends of said swing arms being carried by said common bearing means and the lower ends thereof extending down inside said tank and rotatably supporting said immersion squeeze roll, and

(3) swing arms disposed in a substantially vertical position at opposite ends of said stripper regulator 15 roll, the upper ends of said swing arms being carried by said common bearing means and the lower ends thereof rotatably supporting said stripper regulator roll, and the lower ends of said swing arms being positioned above the upper level of said tank and outwardly of opposite sides thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,284,870 11/1966 Griffin 2828 3,396,444 8/1968 Griffin 2828 LOUIS K. RIMRODT, Primary Examiner 

